Depression and Homeopathy

Depression and Homeopathy

For this week’s post we have an article by Joelle Smaniotto-Gorton. Joelle is a classical Homeopath, and who has changed the lives of so many with her approach. One client stated that “it was like a switch went off and I was able to move forward”. Joelle is an inspiration to all who meet her and we are very excited to have her write for us, currently she practices from her clinic in Epsom as well as Stillpoint Osteopathic Medical Centre.

An introduction to Homeopathy

Hi, my name is Joelle Smaniotto-Gorton and I am a classical homeopath.

Homeopathy is a gentle, yet powerful natural medicine which stimulates the body’s inner ability to heal itself. Unlike conventional medicine, Homeopathy, views physical, emotional and psychological symptoms as interrelated, and treats them as a whole. Rather than suppressing symptoms, homeopathy stimulates the body’s physiological reactions that restore health with the help of highly diluted substances.

Homeopathy was discovered over 200 years ago by Doctor Samuel Hahnemann. Well ahead of his time, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843), discovered that if a substance could cause symptoms, the same substance could be used to treat an illness causing those symptoms. Take an onion for instant, when you cut an onion, your eyes water and nose runs. Onion in homeopathic doses is indicated for colds with watery eyes and acrid nasal discharges. This is what homeopaths call” the Law of Similars”.

Recognised by the World Health Organisation as the second largest therapeutic system in use in the world, Homeopathy is widely used in Europe and India. I was born and raised in France where homeopathy is used by medical doctors and homeopathic remedies are found in every pharmacy.

You will understand my surprise when I moved to NZ and found that most people had never heard the name Homeopathy. “You are what? A homo- path?” they would ask stepping backward! For the first few years in New Zealand, I found myself reassuring people that I was not a homo-path, but a homeopath, practising classical homeopathy. And before I knew it, more people were stepping forward, curious to know more about homeopathy.

This blog does not intend to describe in detail how homeopathy works but talk about depression and homeopathy. For more information about homeopathy, do not hesitate to visit my website http://www.homeopathauckland.co.nz/.

Global gloom, depression epidemic or pandemic?

What is depression? It can be as serious as clinical depression or a general malaise, an inability to enjoy life or have a constant feeling of well-being. It is understandable that we experience the paradox of highs and lows of happiness and sadness. However if one is chronically gloomy, unable to shift a low mood, to be constantly without dreams, hopes or goals in life, no matter how big or small these emotions are, this condition is one of depression and must be addressed.
While antidepressants have their place, they are not without side effects and do not really address the causes of this malaise.

The stigma of depression may make many reluctant to acknowledge the need for help. Equally the insidious nature of this affliction may cause the sufferer to become accustomed to a never ending numbness, a lack of joy.

The help offered by homeopathy is that it delves deep into the causes that brought on this malaise from the start.

For example, take a theoretical group of people, suddenly left by their partners, all seemingly in the same situation. However for each person there will be different emotions felt. These could be fear of poverty, of loneliness or not having anyone to rely on, anger, feeling used, abused, feeling of inadequacy, guilt, abandonment, rejection …. It is important to realise that for 20 people in a similar situation, there will be 20 completely different emotions felt hence 20 different remedies needed.

The homeopath takes time to sift through the myriad of emotions and identifies which is pertinent to the individual patient and addresses it with the appropriate remedy. This is not just the suppression of symptoms as opposed to antidepressants, but rather the lifting of the whole condition which brought on their ill health in the first place.

The process of identification and remedy can be applied to any condition. For example, over eating, abusing the body with alcohol, cigarettes and the like. It is important and necessary to improve one’s attitude to diet, but even more important to address what brought on this addiction or misuse for a start? Not every stressed person turns to excessive sugar or alcohol or nicotine intake! Again the cause must be identified and addressed for each patient. So, why not let homeopathy work its magic?